The Perfect Christmas Eve
by Jessica L.A
Summary: Don't try to reason with your heart or feel with your mind. For just as the heart knows no logic, the mind can't lead you to your soul. *Bangel*


_**One-Shot Started: December 24, 2011**_

_**One-Shot Finished: December 24, 2011**_

_**Disclaimer: **__**Don't own anything! Except for my own ideas, the plot and characters you don't recognize.**_

_**Rating: **__**T for teen, to be safe.**_

_**Summary: A few years into the future, 2011 with our favorite soul-mates. Just a spur of the holiday spirit story. Merry Christmas!**_

_**Author's Note:**_ Well, I was surprised when I came up with this idea, let alone for this category, and so I hope that you guys enjoy this though I haven't wrote for Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, or Bangel in F-O-R-E-V-E-R.

Happy Holidays…

**=The Perfect Christmas Eve=**

**-By: bangelluvforever-**

**DECEMBER 24, 2011 – 5PM**

**BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – BEVERLY WILSHIRE HOTEL A FOUR SEASON HOTEL**

_**Oh holy night!**_

_**The stars are brightly shining**_

_**It is the night of the dear**_

_**Savior's birth!**_

Twenty-year-old Dawn Marie Summers smiled as she entered her twenty-four-year-old sister's "apartment" at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, the penthouse suite, and heard her blonde sister's voice singing along to Jessica Simpson's version of "Oh Holy Night" from her master bedroom.

Smiling she draped her jacket and her black Chanel purse over one of the chairs in the living room and walked into her sister's bedroom.

_**Long lay the world in sin and error pining**_

_**Till he appear'd and the soul felt its worth**_

Dawn smiled as her sister's slayer instincts picked up on someone else in the apartment let alone the room with her causing, her blonde headed sister to face her. "Hey, Sissy."

"Dawnie, hi," Buffy Anne Summers replied as she walked towards her sister with a smile for a hug still dressed in a comfy white robe, a white towel on her hair holding her wet hair, and black fuzzy slippers on her feet.

"How are you?" The brunette asked as she pulled away from her sister, after giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"I'm…okay?" Buffy replied, unsure about how she was feeling, "How about you? You look beautiful by the way."

And Buffy was right, her young sister did look beautiful in a burgundy cashmere sweater dress from Crumpet with a pair of six-inch 'Tribute' metallic leather pumps from Yves Saint Laurent on her feet, a gold plated 'stingray-effect' cuff from Yves Saint Laurent, and a pair of 22-karat gold-plated triangle earrings from Kenneth Jay Lane in her ears.

"I'm doing great," Dawn replied, "and thanks."

_**A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices**_

_**For yander breaks a new and glorious morn!**_

"Do you need help getting ready?" The wavy haired, brown eyed beauty asked her beautiful sister.

"Nope, because I'm not going," the wavy blonde haired, hazel-eyed beauty replied.

"**WHAT?"** The brunette exclaimed loudly in shock.

"You heard me, Dawn," Buffy told her sister with a soft sigh.

"And why the hell not?" Dawn asked her, hands on her hips, a look that reminded Buffy so much of their late mother, Joyce Summers.

"Just because I'm not," Buffy replied.

"Buffy Anne Summers, why the hell not are you going?" Dawn asked, she was freaking out for she knew that this date truly meant everything to her sister, though she wouldn't show it.

"Because I'm fucking nervous as hell okay," Buffy said softly.

"Nervous? Why? It's Angel, the love of your life, the man you've known since you were sixteen years old and you knocked him on his undead ass in that alleyway by the Bronze in Sunnydale."

"Exactly."

"Sissy," Dawn asked, using her nickname for the blonde as she moved to sit next to her and grasped her hand, "what do you mean? Do you…" she swallowed the lump in her throat before she continued, "not love him anymore?"

"Oh Dawnie, no, that's not it," Buffy reassured her, "definitely not it."

"Well then, why?" Dawn asked, the curious look in her eyes reminding Buffy that she was still young and still had so much to learn, especially about love.

"Dawn, it's hard to explain," Buffy told her softly, caressing her cheek, "you'll understand when your older and so in the love that it hurts your soul."

_**Fall on your knees**_

_**Oh hear the angel voices**_

_**Oh night devine **_

_**Oh night when Christ was born**_

_**Oh night divine**_

_**Oh night divine**_

_**Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming  
>With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand<strong>_

So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming  
>Here come the wise men from Orient land<p>

The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger  
>In all our trials born to be our friend.<p>

Truly He taught us to love one another  
>His law is love and His gospel is peace<p>

Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother  
>And in His name all oppression shall cease<p>

Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,  
>Let all within us praise His holy name.<p>

"No, you know what?" Dawn told her, and not giving her a chance to answer, "I'm not gonna let you throw away something that you deserve, the best thing that's ever happened to you. I'm finally after so many years, getting my sister, back my true sister back and there is no way in hell that I'm letting you go again. So you can call me a selfish bitch, but I don't care."

"Dawn, I never really went anywhere's, I mean yeah I died, but I was still me," Buffy said softly.

"No, you weren't," Dawn corrected her, "After…after Angel and you broke up, and he left…you died, not in the literal sense, but…you know what I mean. You weren't there, I mean sure you were their physically, but not…"

"Emotionally," the blonde whispered.

"Mmhm," Dawn replied as she fiddled with the hem of her red sweater dress, "I think I noticed it more than anyone about how unhappy you were and it wasn't just because were sisters and have the same blood, it was how you acted…you acted as if the whole world was out to get you and it wasn't worth living in. I know that you were the slayer, but you were still Buffy, my sister, a beloved daughter, a dear friend, and a soulmate.

You started fighting with mom and I more, sometimes mom more than me which really shocked us. The way you got over Angel so fast, or so you say, moving on with Riley and…just everything you did, it honestly scared me and mom, you know? We thought we were going to lose you, if not to a demon or you taking on the full slayer aspect, but from a broken heart. It was like…"

"Having to watch my daughter die a slow and painful death, more slow than any of the diases in the world," a new voice spoke up, startling both of the girls.

"Mom," both girls gasped at the sight of their deceased mother, who truly was an angel dressed in a long white satin gown with youth back in her face and body and a golden outline to her.

"My beautiful darlings, how I've missed you," Joyce Summers said softly with a smile and tears in her eyes. Smiling bigger at them, she opened their arms, "Get in my arms you two."

"MOMMY!" They both exclaimed as they pounced on their angelic mother, sending them all to the floor in laughter and tears.

"Oh how good it feels to hold you two again," Joyce told them once they were all sitting on the bed, with her in the middle and her arms around each of their waists while their heads rested on her shoulders.

"We missed you, Mom," Buffy told her softly, tears in her eyes.

"Oh my brave and beautiful daughters, I've missed you too so much," Joyce told them, placing a kiss on the top of each other heads. "And that's part of the reason why I'm here."

Why she was here was a question both girls wanted to ask, but they feared the answer.

"I'm here because I've got some unfinished business, plus I've come to spend a few holiday minutes with my two beautiful angels," Joyce told them, "it's a gift from the PTB, but before I can spend my family moment with you two, I need to take care of a stubborn daughter of mine."

"Which one of us is it this time?" Buffy asked her mother.

"Oh no no, don't ask which one, it's clearly you 'Ms. I'm not going'," Dawn told her sister, pointing a finger at her with a glare.

"Exactly," Joyce said, agreeing with her youngest daughter as she looked at her oldest daughter.

"Mom…" Buffy started.

"Buffy Anne Summers, just be quiet and let me explain, but first I must apologize," Joyce told her.

"For what, Momma?"

"I did something very unforgivable, and it altered the destiny of…."

"Of what?" Both girls asked curiously.

"Of you and Angel," Joyce replied softly and flinched at the look of horror on Buffy's face and the look of confusion on Dawn's face.

".?" Buffy hissed at her mother, and though she hated having the feelings of anger and hate towards her mother at this very moment, she couldn't help it.

"I…went to him and asked him to leave because I told him that you deserved more. I reminded him he was a man, and you were so young, and he should think of you before his own interests….because I was afraid, Buffy, afraid of what the relationship meant. No children for you, no family, no normality. I just…wanted more for you."

Buffy stood up, her eyes blazing with anger. "Children? Family? What makes you think I'll have those things anyway? Just how am I supposed to carry a child when I'm fighting hand-to-hand with demons every night? And supposing I manage to have a child, what kind of mother would I be? How is a child supposed to cope with the fact that mommy's gone every night, that she might not be coming back every time she walks out the door? And, God, what if I have a little girl, and she's a Slayer, too? Do you think I would chance that? That I would burden my child with my life? Worst of all, what about the fact that a human family, a husband, a child, would be the perfect weapon against me? Do you think Riley, or any other guy, would be able to protect himself or our children when the forces of darkness come to call? And how am I supposed to fight the good fight with their lives held as leverage over my head? Did you even stop to think about what you're good intentions would mean to me? Or did you just want Angel out of the picture, the one serious threat for your little girl's attention?"

"Buffy, please, I only wanted to spare you heart. I didn't want you hurt over a relationship that had no future…"

"Well you know what, mom, it didn't work. My heart aches every day, and it's a struggle to get through the night. Sometimes, when I'm on patrol, I wonder if it's really worth it. I think how easy it would be to not fight so hard, to just let go and not come back... how easy it would be to die. I think that's why it's the Slayer's destiny to die young; no one can live very long with a broken, disillusioned heart. My hope's gone, mom, and I don't think I can get it back." With those words, Buffy walked over to the floor the ceiling windows and the bathroom and looked out at the glorious city.

"I know it does, Sweetheart, which is why I'm giving you a gift this holiday season," Joyce told her, tears in her eyes, feeling her little girl's hurt.

"I don't want anything from you," Buffy hissed at her, not even turning to face her.

"Buffy, just listen to mom, if not for you or her, for me," Dawn begged her sister, wanting to fix their mother and daughter relationship so her sister didn't regret her harsh words and anger later, when their mother was back in heaven.

"Please then, enlighten me with this miraculous gift you have for me," Buffy replied, still not turning towards her sister and mother.

"Thank you," Joyce mouthed to her youngest, who just nodded her head, "This."

Buffy confused turned around to find a beautiful silver decorated box in her mom's hand with a white bow on the top, "what is it?"

"Open it and find out, Sweetie," Joyce told her gently, handing her the box.

The blonde hesitantly pulled off the bow and opened up the box to find a piece of paper that looked oddly familiar. Once realization reached her, she gasped, "Oh my God, is this…"

"It is," Joyce stated with a smile, "a friend on the other side said this was her gift to you and Angel, she said you two would know what to do with it, and that the person who could do it for you two has already received the same gift and fulfilled it for the two of you."

The curse, the gift, Jenny were the words the kept circling around in Buffy's head and heart, but still not trusting what she wanted to believe, what her heart wanted to believe she asked, "The curse.."

"has no loophole, you have a loophole, curse-less free Angel," Joyce replied with a secretive smile, leaving the rest of the gift out of her explanation knowing her daughter would find out later.

"Momma, thank you…" Buffy said with tears in her eyes as she moved to hug her mother.

"No, Buffy, thank you for forgiving me," Joyce replied, feeling the feeling of forgiveness in her soul and heart, knowing now that she could rest in peace after making one last stop, "Now, my dear you are going to listen to exactly what I have to say."

"Yes, ma'am," Buffy replied softly.

"You are going to sit at the vanity or on the bed, whichever you prefer and let your sister do your hair and makeup. Then you are going to get into the gorgeous dress with those equally gorgeous heels and jewelry. And finally, you are going to go on your date and tell Angel how you feel, how you really feel."

"But momma, what if…"

"Sweetheart, life's full of what if's, always has been and always will be," Joyce told her, caressing her cheek, "But the first step to getting things you want out of life is this: decide what you want and go for it with everything that you have and are."

Buffy nodded as did Dawn, both knowing that there mom was talking to both of them.

Joyce who started to fade away and with a sad smile and tears in her eyes, she said, "Don't try to reason with your heart or feel with your mind. For just as the heart knows no logic, the mind can't lead you to your soul. I love you both so much, I'll always be in your hearts all you have to do is ask for me, Merry Christmas Darlings."

"We love you, Merry Christmas, Mommy," they both replied.

**WOLFRAM & HART – ANGEL'S APARMTNET**

"I've been waiting for you," the 200 plus old vampire said as he felt an angelic present.

"I know, I'm sorry I was with my daughters," Joyce replied as she moved to stand next to the vampire dressed smartly in his Calvin Kline tux, to look out into the dark night of Los Angeles.

"You don't ever have to apologize for being with your daughters, I understand," the vampire with a soul told her softly.

"Thank you," Joyce replied. Knowing that she didn't have much time left, she said, "Angel, I…I'm sorry and I know that doesn't begin to cover or clear up all the pain I have caused for both you and my daughter, but I hope that one day you can find it in your heart to forgive an old woman who thought was looking out for her daughter, when in reality she was jealous of being left behind."

"Mrs. Summers," the dark haired, brown eyed vampire started.

"No, please, Angel, let me finish, I don't have much time left," Joyce told him. Taking a deep breath, "You must try to understand how hard it was for me to find out everything about my daughter the way I did, and I know I didn't handle it well. Hell, I didn't handle it at all and in all honestly I blamed you to some fraction…but the more I looked at my daughter, really looked at my daughter after I broke you two apart, I realized that it wasn't your fault, if anything you saved her and kept her fighting and safe.

You made my lithe girl the happiest she's ever been, sure I wasn't happy about some aspects about your relationship, but I'd like to think that if Buffy had come and told me that you and her were back together, that I would've accepted it and actually have been delighted by it because I know how much she loved you and how much you loved her. You're soulmates who were destined to be star-crossed lovers."

"Don't you mean 'are'?" Angel asked her.

"No, 'were' is the right word," Joyce said with a shake of her head, "After all you and my daughter will be back together, or am I not right and assuming that tonight is not the night you're going to ask her and Dawn to move in with you here?"

"I…" Angel said shocked.

"That's what I thought," the older woman replied with a smirk that was so much like her oldest daughter's, "Do you wanna know what really made me realize how precious the love you and Buffy have is?"

"Only if you're willing to tell me."

"I am," Joyce replied with a smile before admitting, "I…I was doing her laundry, trying to busy myself around the house while she was at Starbucks with Dawn, you know trying to busy myself and not think about my tumor, when I came across her diaries. I don't know if you know it, but my beautiful girl documented everything about the two of you down in her journals, and she has a tendency and habit to go back and read through them or some of them as if reading herself a bedtime story before bed.

Anyways, the particular one that was open on her bed, was what really got to me. I knew I shouldn't be getting into her private stuff, but I don't know how to explain it, something just pulled me to it. So I sat down on her bed, the laundry forgotten, and I read through her journal page, and when I started I couldn't find myself stopping, but I did only to start reading her journals from the beginning. I read everything from her first meeting with you, your first kiss, your dates, the first time…you made love, everything. And you wanna know what I thought?"

The vampire just nodded his head.

"I thought it was the most romantic and beautiful fairytale in the whole world," Joyce told him with tears in her eyes, "I honestly had tears in my eyes, by the time I was finished reading them. Your love, Buffy's emotions through it all, the trials and tribulations, everything…a true story of love, hope, and that love doesn't run it stays and fights, and goes the distance. And this, here and now just proves it."

"Mrs. Summers," the vampire started to say.

"Angel, please, it's Joyce, after all your family," Joyce told him with a smile, "I know about the ring you gave her, and I can honestly say now I'm happy about it. I must go now, but first I need a promise from you?"

"Anything, Joyce, anything," the vampire vowed.

"I need you to promise to always love and protect Buffy and Dawn, my girls mean everything to me," she told him with tears in her eyes, "Buffy…Buffy's been through so much, some of it from my own hand, she needs you and I know you need her. Please, just promise to love her and protect her, she's the most precious being in this world. She's got a heart of gold and diamonds, and she'd lay down her life for anyone that she loves. I want them to be happy, for Buffy to be happy, and I know that you're the man to do that."

"I promise, Mrs. Summers, they are everything to me too," Angel told her and added softly, "I love her."

"I believe that know. Oh and Angel, I hope that you enjoy your gift" Joyce told him with a smile, "Merry Christmas Angel, and remember you hurt my girl and you'll have one mean momma lion after you."

"Merry Christmas, Joyce," Angel whispered to the fading Angel with a smile and looking down at his watch, he knew it was time to go pick up his girl to give her the surprise of her life.

"Angel, hi, Merry Christmas," Dawn greeted the man she considered her brother-in-law with a big hug and smile before ushering him into Buffy's suite.

"Merry Christmas, Dawn," Angel greeted back, placing a kiss on her temple as he hugged her back.

"Sissy, should be right out she was just finishing up her lip gloss," Dawn replied with a smile.

"Thanks," Angel replied before he smiled and pulled something out of his jacket pocket, "So I was talking with Willow and Cordelia yesterday, and I saw this in a window and I thought it'd be the perfect Christmas Eve present for you so, here you go."

"Angel, you didn't have to, but thanks," Dawn replied and with a smile she began to open the small silver wrapped box. She gasped as she pulled the lid away to reveal a beautiful necklace from Tiffany & Co. that had a 'D' in beautiful round diamonds with a platinum chain. "Angel, it's beautiful."

"What is it?" Buffy's voice asked, making her presence known causing both of them to turn their heads to the woman who entered the room.

"Buffy, you look breathtaking," Angel told her softly as he gazed at the small blonde woman dressed in a floor length Vera Wang gown that was strapless and had a small train to it. Her hair was in a soft and elegant bun with lose curls framing her beautiful face that was done in natural looking makeup, and a pair of black dangling earrings sat in her ears.

Buffy smiled at not only the compliment or how hot he looked in his perfectly tailored tux, but the smile on his face as his gaze lingered on her neck where she wore no necklace, letting her scar, a scar caused because of him, stood proudly on her neck. "Thank you."

"You're very welcome," he replied as he picked up her hand and placed a kiss on it before offering her his arm.

"Thank you," she replied softly as she looped her arm with his and made her way to the door with him. Before going out of the door she turned to her sister, "Dawnie, are you staying with dad tonight after you two go to church or are you going to come back here and stay with me?"

"I'm planning on staying with Dad, he's making breakfast in the morning," she replied, "You go and have fun, no worrying about me or anything or anyone else tonight. I love you and I'll see you tomorrow, Sissy."

"Promise?"

"Promise, now go," Dawn told her blowing her a kiss with a smile causing Angel to smile at the sisterly moment and Buffy to laugh at the goofiness of her sister. "Oh and Angel?"

"Yes, Dawn?" The vampire replied.

"You take of my sister, you hear?"

"Yes ma'am."

"So I have to ask, where are we going?" The slayer asked the vampire with a soul as they cuddled in the limo he got for the night.

"Now, if I told you then it wouldn't be a surprise would it," he asked her, placing a kiss on the top of her head.

"Angel," she whined.

The vampire just laughed before remembering something and pulling a longer box out of his jacket pocket and handing it to his slayer, "Merry Christmas Eve."

"Angel, you didn't have to," she softly scolded him.

"Just open it," he told her with a roll of his brown eyes. Smiling, he watched as she looked at him for a few more seconds before she gently unwrapped the rectangular box before opening the lid and gasping. "Do you like it?"

"Do I like it, do I like it?" Buffy echoed his words, "Angel, in all honestly, I love it. It's so beautiful…is it mine?"

"Why of course it's yours silly," he told her as he gently took the stunning 'Traffic' by Harry Winston, diamond bracelet with its 36 round brilliant and baguette diamonds and platinum setting and clasped it softly around her left wrist, placing a kiss on each knuckle after it was fastened on its new owner.

"But Angel, it's…" she started to say, but was cut off from a soft kiss on her plump, pink vanilla lip glossed lips.

"Everything and more that you deserve," he replied, resting his forehead on hers with a smile as he gazed into her hazel eyes that held so much love for him along with unshed tears that rested in the corner on her eyes.

"I love you," she told him softly.

"I love you too, Buffy, so much," he told her before attaching his lips to hers in a passionate French kiss that would only be interrupted when the driver pulled in front of the theater were the vampire with a soul was taking the legendary slayer, his slayer, to watch The Nutcracker.

The End Until Another Time…

_**Well, there it is, and I hope that you all enjoyed it. Have a very safe and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year's.**_

_**Merry Christmas,**_

_**Jessica(:**_

_Forever they where suppose to be._

_But Fate kept them apart._

_But destiny kept bringing back to each other._

_Forever they will love each other._

_Forever they will live for each other._

_Forever together till death._

_But not even that will keep them from each other._

_Forever since the dawn of time._

_Is Buffy and Angel!_

_BY-_

_Jessica (me)_


End file.
